London at Christmas
My parents live near the other end of England. Put it this way, they’re closer to Scotland than to London. Although modes of transport are available, it is a trek for either party to travel to one another. So, when dad called me months ago to plan their trip down to the capital, I was overjoyed!
My parents lived in London some time ago, but with age, they grew tired of the big city - the noise, the crowds, the pollution. It’s understandable, so I was feeling particularly grateful that they came anyways.
We had 48 hours in the capital and here is what we did.
Saturday
We huffed our way through the crowds onto New Bond Street. First up, was a hot beverage from Ralph’s Coffee to warm ourselves up. The Ralph Lauren store is beautiful and feels very old New York, with its dark mahogany panelled walls and deli-style signage. It’s a place I’d expect to see in a holiday film. Gorgeous!
I opted for a monochromatic look, to keep my style simple and understated. I have looked to create more of a city girl look recently, to balance out my wellies and wax jacket collection.
The morning was spent window shopping, which mother and I love to do. Fortnums, Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty were on the list and we gazed, perused and compared the products we saw.
Our stomachs began growling, and so I took us to Zedel - a great brassiere, with delicious food at very reasonable prices. We all ate the same main course, steak and pomme frites, with bordelaise sauce. I prefer the French sauce to the peppercorn sauce as I find it has more body and it’s less creamy, but that’s just my humble opinion.
Located in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, Zedel is a Parisian brasserie with a 1930s interior. Walk through the art deco cafe and descend downstairs into the dining room, where you are met with a bustling and lively atmosphere. Down here, you will also find an American cocktail bar, and live music and cabaret entertainment.
As the live band played those Christmas classics, we tucked into our desserts. Father had Apple Tart Tatin with vanilla ice cream, Mother went for La ‘Grande’ Profiterole with warmed chocolate sauce and already feeling quite full, I went with something light in the form of the Cafe Gourmand (miniature desserts). Feeling very satisfied and a little behind on time, we dashed across Piccadilly and headed for the Palace Theatre.
A double bill of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. As longtime Potterheads, Father and I were super duper excited for this one! I remember queuing outside the bookshop at midnight, for each book release. My father and I would share a copy of the book and race each other on who could finish their chapters the quickest. Then, we’d discuss in detail our theories on story development. Like most millennials who grew up with HP, I have the fondest memories of reading and watching the films. This time last year, we even visited the Warner Bros studios and soaked in the magic of the film’s art direction. If you haven’t been before, I would highly recommend it.
The plays were exceptional. I actually had no idea what the plot was because I had not read the script. The practical effects are really good fun and contribute finely to the magical Potter universe. Collectively, you’ll spend 5 hours and 15 minutes in the theatre, which admittedly, was quite daunting for me. But you are gripped throughout and honestly, the hours do fly by. The ending of Part One will have you psyched up for Part Two.
After a very long day, we parted and headed home. We were still very full from Zedel, so it was off to bed for me (maybe I had a cheeky cup of tea), ready for another adventure, the next day.
Sunday
An early rise and a meeting at the Tate Modern for a coffee and artsy fix. When my parents first started dating, the Tate Modern had been one of their usual haunts. As were Southbank and the Embankment walk. Memories flooded back in and they regaled the stories of their early dating years. Stories I had heard before, but listened to patiently, because it’s nice to hear, even after 33 years of marriage.
It was a little chillier on Sunday and I was grateful I had wrapped up in layers. This year, I definitely followed the trend of wearing coats as outfits. I have consciously invested in more coats and jackets, and the burgundy long coat from Abercrombie screams A/W season. I also wore my kindly gifted gloves from Dents. Leather made and a gorgeous shade of brown, it complimented the outfit perfectly as well as keeping me warm.
An easy-going Sunday morning was rounded off with afternoon tea at the Savoy. A feature that has been in place since the hotel opened in 1889. The custom of afternoon tea dates back to the 1840s and you can enjoy this or high tea. What’s the difference? High tea has an additional savoury course served between the sandwiches and the desserts. This is because high tea was often held later in the day and would serve as a dinner or pre-dinner meal.
As you are led into the gallery, you know you are stepping into something special. The domed atrium centres the room and the soothing melodies of the live music are the perfect backdrop accompaniment. We were greeted by one of the Savoy team, who took special care of us. She spoke knowledgeably about each piece of food placed before us, and it was marvellous to listen to the painstaking detail applied to everything. We decided to go a little extra with our celebration and added a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne, which washed down so smoothly.
The whole experience was so lovely, my parents and I laughed and chatted about all sorts of things. We talked about future plans and toasted our achievements this year. All in all a very enjoyable weekend, and I felt so blessed to have spent some quality time with my parents. As the years roll on, I am eager to continue strengthening my familial relationships. As everyone grows older, it’s important to continue creating memories and I can’t wait to share even more with them.
